Peak?

I think I may have achieved peak food sustainability with tonight's meal. It came together quite unplanned. Here's how it went.

I returned from picking this samphire (while the dog self-exercised  on the sand flats,) to find that a friend who I had recently invited to pick soft fruit had left a bunch of big fat mussels from the off-shore ropes where she catches crustaceans.  Along with home-grown roasted courgettes*
 and the sourdough bread  I had baked earlier (local flour!),  that was supper sorted. Followed by local cheese  and  left-over jostaberry ** 
(exchanged for raspberries) and pear (surplus surplus) cobbler (egg courtesy of the hens.) I suspect that in terms of food miles, sustainability, self-sufficiency, low cost, no waste, and local   sourcing this meal may score top marks.

Forage, scavenge, barter, re-use, home-growing, and buying local are all good  ways to ensure that the food we eat is nutritious,  and we are not adding to the profits of multinational companies or damaging the environment.  Wastage and  superfluous packaging are minimal.  Nothing needs to travel any distance and purchases support the local economy - which in rural areas such as this needs all the help it can get. In particular young people need jobs.

I'm aware that it's only possible for a few fortunate  people like myself to live this way and to feel this self-congratulatory about it . However  the pandemic has made many people more inclined to make, grow, shop locally and become generally more resilient and self-sufficient. If this trend  continues I do believe it will benefit individuals, local communities and the natural world. 
And ensure good eating.

* grown in old car tyres with home-made compost
** a cross between blackcurrants and gooseberries